Plans to Stabilize Michael Hartnett Statue

DISCUSSIONS are now underway on the best way to stabilise the Michael Hartnett Memorial Statue which stands in the middle of the Square in Newcastle West.

Concerns arose about the stability of the sculpture at the weekend, prompting fears that attempts had been made to damage or steal it.

“There is a suspicion that somebody tried to pull it from its foundations, that they tied a rope on to it and tried to pull it with a jeep,” Cllr Michael Collins told the Limerick Leader.

For safety reasons, the sculpture has been cordoned off. But Cllr Collins said it was his understanding that it would not be necessary to remove the sculpture to improve stabilisation.

“It would be virtually impossible to remove it from its foundations,” he said, pointing out that the life-size sculpture of the late poet was tied internally by rods, through the rough-cut limestone plinth, into the ground.